Real Facts About Solid Foods And Infant Eczema

Solid foods and infant eczema is a strange condition which often run in families. A case of asthma in one sibling can mean eczema in another and vice versa. The reactions occur when the body treats a normally harmless substance such as soya milk as if it were harmful.

In our case, in a very large family, it has rather hopped about. I can remember a cousin, who had it so severely that he had to take medication immediately. Neither his children nor his grandchildren have the condition and nor do I. But then there are other family members who were afflicted just as severely while others only had it mildly.

Their siblings escaped. We are still waiting for grandchildren, but the chances are that one or more will be affected.

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In each case, in my family at least, the condition develop as soon as solid food was introduced. So, we came to associate certain solid foods and baby eczema as part of the family. However one of the many reports seems to indicate that the early introduction of solid food does not of itself produce eczema.

So if your 5 month old seems hungry or if your doctor recommends early weaning, go ahead.

Introducing solid foods and infant eczema

Solids are only a supplement at this stage so don't worry if your child isn't that interested or finds taking solids difficult. In my niece's case weaning was rapid at about 5 months as she wanted whatever we had to eat rather than baby food. And she would try to grab at anything that could even vaguely be described as edible.

I never did discover any specific food that made the matter worse though a certain pale yellow food coloring would produce a rise in temperature and a rash. Not that I gave her everything of course - foods were introduced one at a time every few days - as long as I stuck to pure foods rather than processed ones with additives we were fine.

Infant Eczema Reports

The Parent Report describes how it can take up to 72 hours before a reaction is seen.

Cow's milk should not be given until a child is already eating a variety of food at about 6 months. Some suggest you need to wait until the child is one year old. It is after all produced to provide food for calves, not babies. In some cases children may react to milk in one form and not in another. I know that I reacted to milk by itself, but would tolerate it if mixed with other foods - possibly because I then took less milk.

The e Bastyr Center for Natural Health reports that giving premature babies solids before they are 17 weeks old can induce eczema. The time to introduce solids has varied with fashion over the years, but few infants before the age of 5 months would be physically able to manage.

Your child needs to be in control of its head and neck and also able to control their tongue before they are ready for solids.

The report suggests that the introduction of a specific food is not the problem, but rather the introduction of any solids too early. It seems that the later solid foods are introduced, the longer there is protection from condition such as eczema and asthma. But exactly how the mechanism works is not clear.

Further research is needed before it is clear whether introducing foods considered to be low allergy causes produces less eczema than if other foods are introduced first.

Alpha released a specific report on solid foods and infant eczema. Alpha states quite firmly that a child with eczema has a food allergy until proved otherwise.

So, if your child has eczema make sure that they are tested for food allergies. And don't be put off with just symptomatic treatment of the rash. This may work in the short term, but until the real reason is discovered your baby will continue to have the rash and soreness of eczema. In the mean time, keep a close a watch on how your child reacts to different solid foods.

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